


Lost in a Moment

by xtremeroswellian



Category: Third Watch
Genre: AU, Angst, Gen, PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:01:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24294022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtremeroswellian/pseuds/xtremeroswellian
Summary: Co-written with NYPDBosco, who doesn't have an account here.Based on the 'Family Ties' previews. Speculation on what could happen.
Relationships: Maurice Boscorelli & Faith Yokas
Kudos: 3





	Lost in a Moment

It all happened so fast. So damned fast. One minute she was searching for the perp--the real one, not the one who'd been blamed--not Mikey Boscorelli--and the next she was facing the barrel of Sergeant Cruz's gun once more. It had been pure instinct to aim her weapon back at the other woman and now as she stood with her hands wrapped tightly around her .38 Smith and Wesson, beads of sweat on her forehead, her heart pounding heavily in her chest as she stood silently, oblivious to the shouting of the other officers in the area.

Her eyes had immediately widened as soon as she'd come around the corner to find a gun pointed at her. When she saw that Faith Yokas was the one wielding it her eyes grew dark, and narrowed. She knew they were looking for a perp, but being face to face with Yokas once again made her tense. For a moment she was quiet as she glared at the other woman, neither of them lowering their weapons. "Where's Michael Boscorelli?"

She saw the sergeant's lips moving, knew she'd said something, but she didn't know what it was. All she could hear was the blood rushing through her veins, her heart pounding. The memory was fresh--like it had happened only the day before. Any minute she would feel a bullet tearing through her, shattering bone and flesh and the cold would seep over her once more.

Cruz's hands tightened around her weapon. "Where is he," she shouted.

Faith's finger moved ever so slightly over the trigger, her breathing erratic. She could hear Cruz yelling to give her the gun, and for a moment she shifted her gaze to look at Bosco, but Bosco wasn't there.

"I swear to God, Yokas. If you don't tell me..."

Her voice was interrupted by the crackling of Faith's radio. "Faith...Faith where are you," came Bosco's voice.

The noise startled her and she flinched, her eyebrows furrowing slightly.

With her weapon still trained on Faith, Cruz glanced around nervously. In the back of her mind she knew she had a job to do, but she couldn't tear herself away from the woman in front of her. The woman who had shot her.

"Dammit," Bosco huffed as he quickly made his way down the wall of the building, his gun out in front of him.

Her muscles were tense, her knuckles white from clutching her gun so tightly. The scene was eerily familiar and she caught sight of movement behind Cruz, which made her tense more.

Sully held his gun out as he slowly approached the corner of the building. He was more than a little shocked to see Cruz and Yokas aiming their weapons at one another. This was not good. Not good at all.

Bosco's voice came over the radio again sounding tense. "Faith?"

"Bosco, she's on the North side of the building. Get over here now," Sully whispered into the radio.

"What the hell's going on," he asked Sullivan, his voice going from tense to concerned.

"Just get over here." He let go of his radio and slowly moved up the alley behind Cruz.

"Where's Michael," Cruz asked Faith again, though at the moment she wasn't really concerned with the whereabouts of Bosco's brother.

"Sarge, put your gun down," Sully said quietly.

She shook her head slightly. "Bitch shot me once before."

"She's not gonna shoot you, put your gun down." His voice was firm.

"Look at her." She nodded toward Yokas. "I'm not surrendering to her."

Bosco stuck his head around the corner of the building.

Sully forced himself to remain calm as he shifted his gaze to where Faith stood, her gun aimed straight at Cruz. Even from where he stood he could tell something was wrong with her. Her face was pale--too pale. The look in her eyes a mixture of fear and confusion. It reminded him of the look in Doc's eyes only a couple days before.

He did a double take at the scene in front of him. Faith and Cruz with guns aimed at each other. Sully by Cruz's side. Taking a deep breath he holstered his gun before stepping around the corner. "Faith?"

She blinked, but remained still, barely conscious of anything going on except for the glimmer of light off Cruz's gun that was aimed at her.

Bosco's eyes were focused on Faith, watching her for any sign of movement. "Cruz, what's goin' on?"

"What does it look like, Bosco?" she snapped, not budging.

"I know what it looks like. Put your gun down."

"I'm not puttin' my gun down so that bitch can shoot me again."

"She's not gonna shoot you."

"Right." Cruz's gun remained focused on Faith.

He took a couple steps forward, but remained off to the side as he looked back toward Faith, taking in her expression and body language. "Faith. Faith look at me."

Her breathing was shallow, her chest rising and falling rapidly with each breath.

He knew what she was thinking about. There was no question about it because he too thought about it every time he saw Cruz and Faith in the same room. "Everything's okay, Faith," he told her softly. "Just relax. Take a deep breath."

"She's gonna kill me." Her voice was audible only to him and she didn't move.

"No." He shook his head. "It's okay. Look at me. It's different this time."

Every bone in Faith's body was tense as she stared at the sergeant, at the gun in her hand. She licked her lips, trying not to even blink.

Bosco took a deep breath, and glanced toward Cruz to see that she too was still holding her gun tightly in her hands. "Faith, I need you to look at me," he whispered as he slowly started to step in front of her.

Her eyes darted briefly from Cruz to Bosco, terror in her blue eyes.

"Put the gun down," he whispered as he moved between Faith and Cruz.

She swallowed hard, sweat still beading on her forehead. "She's got a gun."

He nodded his head. "But she's not gonna hurt you," he told her softly. "Just look at me. Don't think about anything else."

Faith's eyes locked on his, her body beginning to tremble from the intensity of her fear and the panic. The intensity of her memories.

Bosco slowly let out a breath, and glanced at Faith's gun before returning his eyes to hers. "You remember what we're out here doin'," he asked softly.

"Mikey," she murmured.

"That's right. We're tryin' to help Mikey." He nodded his head slowly. "What's goin' through your mind," he asked in a whisper.

"Noble," she whispered back, her eyes still full of confusion, fright.

He gazed at her, trying to keep everything slow and steady, and not paying attention to anyone else. "Tell me what you see."

"She's crazy. She's got her gun, Bosco."

"Are we in that room?"

"Yes." There was no hesitation before she answered.

"Okay." He paused for a moment, unsure of what exactly to do. "Faith, I want you to close your eyes for a minute, okay?"

"Bosco--"

"Trust me," he whispered. "I'll protect you."

Faith hesitated a moment, her face still pale as she closed her eyes, still gripping her gun tightly.

"Take a deep breath," he told her softly as he quickly glanced behind him to see what was going on.

She did as he asked, her breathing shallow.

"Talk to me," he whispered.

"It hurts," she whispered, her face contorting in a look of pain.

"What hurts, Faith? Tell me what hurts."

"My chest...my neck." She grimaced.

"You're okay. It's a memory."

"There's blood..."

He swallowed hard, remembering all the blood he'd washed off his hands. "But you're better now," he told her softly.

She trembled as she felt his hands close over hers, over her gun.

Bosco let out a slow breath as he held onto her hands, and the gun. "Look at me," he whispered.

There were tears in her eyes as she opened them.

His eyes were sad as he gazed at her. "I remember it, too," he told her softly.

One of the tears streaked down her cheek and a small sob escaped her lips as she lowered the gun.

He gently touched her cheek. "I'm sorry, Faith."

The .38 clattered loudly to the pavement.

Sully took hold of Cruz's arm. "Let's go," he said shortly.

Cruz lowered her gun, a scowl on her face then shrugged out of Sullivan's grasp.

He glared at her before motioning her to leave them alone and following her as she reluctantly left.

Bosco managed a faint, sad smile. "Everything's gonna be all right."

Faith closed her eyes as she reached for him, shaking.

Without hesitating he wrapped his arms around her, and gently rubbed her back. "I think about it, too," he whispered. "All the time."

"I froze," she whispered. "She was there and I just froze."

"I know. I know it's hard." He held her a little tighter.

Unable to speak anymore, she buried her face against his shoulder as she cried softly.

He closed his eyes, and lifted one hand to her head as he tried to comfort her. Something he wished he could have done months ago.

After a few moments, she quieted down. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice strained.

"Don't apologize. It's all right."

Faith reluctantly pulled away from him, but not completely. "No. It's not all right."

"You went through a lot," he told her softly. "Maybe you just need more time."

"No, that's not..." She closed her eyes.

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What?"

She was silent for a moment. "I'm so sorry, Bosco," she whispered.

He shook his head. "I'm the one who should be doin' the apologizing, remember?"

"No." She slowly opened her eyes to look at him again. They were full of sadness, remorse. "For the last six months...all I could think about was...how everything got so messed up and..." She exhaled. "I'm just as responsible for what happened as you. More."

"I wouldn't go that far. I let things get outta control. I know that." He nodded his head. "I've changed, Faith."

Faith slowly slid her arms around him again. "I know."

"I'm just worried I'm gonna mess up again," he whispered.

She leaned her head against his. "Are we gonna be okay?" Her voice was nearly inaudible.

He pressed his lips together, and nodded his head. "Yeah. Yeah, we're gonna be okay. We're partners."

"Promise?" she whispered, closing her eyes.

"I promise."

Faith nodded slightly but didn't move away. Because for the first time in a very long time, she truly believed everything would be all right.


End file.
